Stand for cameras and the like



Aug. 25, 1925. I

i D. C. BEIDLER ET AL STAND'FOR CAMERAS AND THE LIKE Filed June 9, 1924 3 Sheets-Shut 1 Aug. 25, 1925.

D. C. BEIDLER ET AL sum: FOR CAMERAS AND THE LIX:

riled June 9-, 1924 s s eets-sheet 2 Aug. 25. 1925.

. D. c. BEIDLER ET AL sum: FOR CAMERAS AND nus LIKE Filed Jun 9, 1924 3 Sheets-Shut 3 Q ii /.0271

Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DONALD C. BEIDLEB. AND ANTONIUS J. fix EN, OF CHICAGO, ILLmOIS.

STAND FOR CAMERAS AN D THE LIKE.

Application filed June 8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DONALD C. BEIDLER' and ANTONIUS J. VIKnN, both citizens of the United States, both residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of- Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stands for Cameras and the like, of which the following if a. specification. i

This invention has to do with certain imrovcments in stands for cameras and the ike. The invention has reference particu-, larly to improvements in adjustable stands, the elevation and position of which. can be readily adjusted so as to bring the camera, which is mounted on the stand, into the desired position and focus.

which the stan At this pointwe will state that while the standhercin disclosed has been arranged with a particular view to the requirements of photographic work, it will appear that stands embodying the features of the present invention may also be used to advantage in certain other classes of work. We will, however, make particular reference to the use of this stand for photographic work, since this work presents certain peculiar conditions of o oration and ad'ustment for (i is peculiarly a apted.

One of the objects of the invention is to provideavertically adjustable stand, but to so arrange the same that the weight of the camera. and other supported parts will be ractically balanced at all times. This wi-l make it possible to move the camera.

up and down for purposes of adjustment with a minimum amount of effort on the part of the operator. possible for the camera to remain in any given elevation without the need of especially securing the same at such point.

A further feature' of the invention has reference to the provision of a platform which directly carries .the camera, said platform being located at the upper end of the stand, and being angular'ly adjustable about a horizontal axis, so that the pitch "of th focal axis of the camera can be adjusted. In this connection, it is a fort object to provide a very simple and convenient arrangement of hand grip for directly manipulating this platform. In this way,

the'force to adjust the elevation and angle of t e camera applied directly to the plat In on which the. camera itself is moun It will also make it' 1924. Serial No. 718,821.

a further object to provide a counter balancing spring intermediate between the' aforesaid platform and the upper portion of the stand itself,'which spring is also operable to practically balance the weight 0 the camera and latform. -As a consequence, the upwar' force exerted by the stand itself is communicated to the platform through this balancing spring, and therefore, the tendency which would otherwise exist for the platform to be thrown vio-. lently against the upper end of the stand is also eliminated and the parts are kept in perfect balance at all time.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of means for taking care of the weight of the stand and camera when the camera is lowered to the lowermost position, notwithstanding the fact that at such times the angularit of the leverage exerted within the stan itself is largely lost. so that the springs which are ordinarily used losc largely their effectiveness.

Other features of the invention relate to the provision of an improved construction of base which is well adapted for easy movement over floors covered with carpets and rugs, to the. provision of a, construction which is rugged and at th same time light and of pleasing a pearance, and generally to the provision o. a construction which is very well adapted for the work for which it is intended.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a. detailed description of the same, which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts here: inafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

. Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a stand embodying the features of the present invention, the same being in the partially raised position, and this figure also shows the lower portion of a camera in place on the platform;

Fig. 2 shows a fragmentary horizontal section on.the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking upwards as shown by the arrows on enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 shows a fragmentary section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direc- Fig. 6 shows a vertical section through the central spring supported limit member, being taken substantially on the line 6 -6 of" Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, but on enlarged scale;

- on enlarged scale; r. I

fragmentary plan view of Fig. 7 shows a fragmentary face view looking in the direction of the arrow marked with the numeral 7 in Fig. 1, but

Fig. 8 shows a the platform taken on the line 8'-8 of'Fig.

1, looking in the'directio'n of'the arrows, but on enlarged scale; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary. section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8, looking in the. direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the opening through which the curved rack bar of Fig. 9 operates.

In the construction shown in the drawings we provide a base member of triangular form including the rodsor pipe 12, 13 and 14 which are secured to the corner blocks 15, 16 and 17 respectively. Each of these corner blocks is of cylindrical form. Cast-' ers are provided for them, each caster in cluding a bottom plate 18 which is pivotally connected to the corner block by apin 19 reaching up through the corner block and provided with a win nut 20 at its upper end. By tightening t e wing nut the position of the caster arm 21 is fixed with re spect' to the corner block. The caster arms can be turned around close to the corner blocks in order to bring them into a more compact space for packing the outfit. its outer end the caster arm carries a socket 22 within which the caster stem 23 is pivoted, so that the caster wheel 24 can easily turn into any position dictated by the movement of the device.

Reaching upwards from the three side members 12, 13 and 14 are three corresponding sets of lazy tongs or the like 25, 26, and

27'. These are of similar construction and the description of one of them will sufiice for them all. Each lazy tongs includes the usual pairs of cross arms 28 and 29 pivoted together in their central portions, as shown at 30 in Fig 1. The adjacent ends of the adjoining pairs of lazy tongs are also pivoted toget-her, as shown at 31 and 32 in Fig. 1.

The lower end of the lowermost arm 28 is pivoted at the point 33 to a lug on a fixed 6o sleeve 34 of the side arm of the. base member, and the lower end of the companion bar 29 is pivoted at the point 35 to an upstanding lug ona sleeve 36 which is slidably mounted on the same side bar of the base member.

Usually the companion arms of the lazy tongs will be single and double respectively. Thus inthe eonstruction'of Fig. 1, each of the arms 29 is single and each of the arms 28 is double, embracing the companion arm 29' at its central portion and embracing the adjoining ends of the arms 29 of the next higher and lower series. By this single and double type of construction a balancedarrangement is insured and tendency of the parts to twist sidewise is substantially eliminated. Figure 2 is an enlarged detail throu 'h the pivotal connection between the ends 0 arms of adjoining series. As therein illustrated the pivotal connection is established b a machine screw 37 which is provided with a head 38 and is shouldered at the oint 39, being threaded beyond said shoul er so as to receive the nut 40. Upon tightening up the nut thesame engages the shoulder so as to revent binding of the arms together.

clip 41 is set on each of the pins 37, preferably at the outside of the nut 40, being held in place in such case by a ca nut 42. These clips 41 are provided with ooks 43 which receive the ends of the cross tension springs 44 which are shown particularly in Fig. 1. There is a set of these springs 44 for each lazy tongs, there being three sets of springs in the construction herein disclosed. These springs 44 tend to draw the arms of the lazy ton s to which they are connected into parallelism and thus extendv the lazy tongs vertically so as to raise the fiatform. Another tension spring 45 is placed around each of the side bars of the base member between the sleeves 34 and 36 thereon, to which sleeves it is connected, and'thus also assists to extend the laz tongs.

lit the upper end of the lazy tongs structure there is located a frame,-shown in detail in Fig. The same includes corner -members 46, 47 and 48 corresponding to the corner members 15, 16 and 17 of the base member. Side plates 49, 50 and 51 join the corner members together, and rods 52, 53 and 54 also reach between said corner members and parallel to the side plates.

Secured upon these rods are sleeves 55, 56 and 57, and other sleeves 58, 59 and 60 are slidably mounted thereon.

The upper ends of the companion bars of the various lazy ton s are pivotallyconnected to the proper s eeves just referred to, so that the upper ends of the lazy tongs can shift back and forth as need be.

It will be noted that as the stand is depressed so that the springs are extended their tension increases, but the angularity of the lazy tongs bars becomes rapidly smaller, so that the effectiveness of the tension of the springs begins to decrease rapidly after the device is loweredbeyond a certain point. We have, therefore, provided a compensating device which we will now dcscr'ibe ravin reference particularly to F1 4 an 6. The same includes a platform 61 supported centrally within the base memher by means of radius arms 62, 63 and 64 which reach outwardly therefromto the respective corner blocks 15, 16 and 17.

Reaching upwardly from the platform 61 is a spiral spring 65 the-upper end of which presses against a plate 66, Said plate 66 in turn is connected to the three lazy tongs members by the radius arms 67, 68, and 69 respectively. In this connection, it is to be 'noted that as the lazy tongs are depressed they are subject to a lateral movementdue i to the factthat one ofeach of the lowercorners is anchored by the sleeve'34. The radius arms 67, 68 and 69' are therefore compelled to move sidewise as they are forced down by the collapsing of'the lazy tongs, but such sidewise movement is permitted b pivotally connecting the inner ends of t e radius arms to the plate 66, as shown at 70, 71 and 72 of Fig. 4. The 'outer ends of the lazy tongs are connected to the respective pins 37 in the manner shown more in detail in Fig. 3. Vith this arrangement, as the device is forced downwards the pressure exerted by the sprin 65 increases and exerts a direct support tbr the stand; and by proper arrangement and proportioning of parts, this direct support will practically compensate for the ,loss of angularity between the companion bars ofthe lazy tongs. 1

If desired, a central post 73 may be provided on the. platform 61, the same reaching up through a suitable opening in the top plate 66 and servingv to guide the spring so as to prevent it from collapsing sidewise under pressure. g A platform 74 is carried by the upper end of the stand, on which platform may be supported the camera 75 or other device. The platform has at its front edge a pair'- oi brackets 75 and 76. which reach downto the position of the rod 53 at oints outside of the location of the corner locks 47 and 48. These brackets 75 and 76 are rigidly connected to the platform and are pivotally mounted on the rod 53," said rod in turn being rigidly held against rotation.

Springs 77 and 78 encircle the end ortions of the rod. Theinner ends of t ese v springs are. secured to the brackets and 76 res ectively, and their outer ends are secure to the rod by means of suitable blocks 79 and 80. These in turn can be angularly adjusted on the rod 5311s by 'means of pins set through. said rod and through recesses. 81 in the nuts 79 and 80, in this way the tension of the two s rings can i be adjusted, so that the weight 0 the platforms74 is substantially balanced at all 05 times, or is almost balanced, leaving only a very small amount of weight to be supported otherwise:

At thcback side of the platform 74 there is located apistol handle 82 of convenient form and size to be grasped in the hand of the user. This handle may be used'to turn the entire stand around into different positions, and may also be used to raise and lower the stand together with the platform and camera. hen doing so,- it will be understood that the balanclng action of all of'the springs relieves the operator of any substantial load and greatly facilitates the action.

A curved rack bar 83 is pivoted to thr handle 82 at the point 84 and reaches down through a slotted opening 85, which is in a cross plate 86 adjacent to the corner block 46 of the upper end of the stand. The for ward edge of this rack bar is notched, 11: shown at 87, and the notches thereof an adapted to engage the rod 88, which reache across the front edge of the slotted openin 85.- A spring 89 tendsto throw the racl bar into the locking position, shown in Fig 9, wherein its teeth will engagethe wire 88 but a thumb piece 90 is placed on the uppe: end of the rack bar within a recess 91 o the platform and at a point where it can b readily manipulated by the thumb of th. hand grasping the handle 82.

lVith this arrangement it will be under stood that in order to change the angle of th latform it is only necessary'to ire-ss th Button 90 forwards by the use of t e-thum so as to release the rack bar, whereupon th angle of the platform can be changed to tha desired and then the parts againlocked tr getlier.

\Vhile we have herein shown and de scribed only a single embodiment of th features of our present invention, still we d not intend to limit ourselves to the sam e'xce t as we may do so in the claims.

ll e claim:

1'. A device of the class described con prising in combination a triangular has member including corner blocks, caste] pivotally connected thereto, and side rot constituting a triangle, a top frame inchu ing corner bloc'ks, side rods connected then to, and constituting therewith a trianguli frame, and lazy tongs extending betwee each of the side rods of the base frame an the corresponding side rod of the top train a sliding connection between each lazy ton; and the frame rods to which it is connects each lazy tongs including a single and double pair of bars pivotally connected 5 their mid portions, pivotal connections b tween the ends of each double lazy tongs b1 and the adjacent single lazy tongs bar horizontal tension springs within each la: tongs tending to draw the bars thereof in parallelism and thereby extend the la:

tongs vertically, a center platform in: the

base member, supports, froin the corner tongs and above said blocks thereto, a'plate between the lazy tongs and above said platform, connections from the lazy tongs thereto tending to depress said plate as the lazy tongs are forced down, a verticallyextending spring between the platform and the top plate aforesaid for directly supporting the load of the lazy tongs, a camera platform above the top frame, a hinge connection between one edge of the same and one side of the said-frame permitting said platform to be tilted about a horizontal axis, springs between Y the camera platform and the top frame aforesaid and normallysubstantially balancing the weight of the platform, a pistol handle extending outwardly from the side of the camera platform aforesaid to the hinged side aforesaid, and a latch between the.

platform and frame and convenient of manipulation by the handgrasping the pistol handle, substantially as described.

2. if device of the class described comprising in combination a triangular base member including corner blocks, casters pivotally connected thereto, and side rods constituting a triangle, a top frame including corner blocks, side rods connected thereto, and constituting therewith a triangular frame, and lazy 7 each of the side rods of the base frame and the corresponding side rod of the top frame, a sliding connection between each lazy tongs and the frame rods to which it is connected, horizontal tension springs within each lazy tongs tending to draw the bars thereof into parallelism and 'thereby extend the lazy tongs vertically, a center platform in the base member, supports from the corner blocks thereto, a plate between the lazy latform, connections from the lazy tongs tiereto tending to depress said plate as the lazy tongs are forced down. a vertically extending spring between the platform. and the top plate aforesaid for directly supporting the load of the lazy tongs, a' camera platform above the top frame, a hinge connection between one edge of the same and one side of the said frame permitting said platform to be tilted about a horizontal axis, springs between the camera platform and the to) frame aforesaid and normally substantially balancing the weight of the platform, a pistol handle extending outwardly from the side of the tongs extending between constituting a. triangle, :1 top'frame including corner blocks, side rods connected thereto and constituting therewith a. triangular if ame, and lazy tongs extending between I ach of the side rods of the base frame and .he corresponding side rod of the top frame, a sliding connection between each lazy tongs and the frame rods to which it is connected,

horizontal tension springs within each lazy tongs tending, to draw the bars thereof into parallelism and thereby extending the lazy tongs vertically, a camera. platform above the top frame, a hinge connection between one edge of the same and one side of the said frame permitting said platform to be tilted about a horizontal axis, springs between the camera platform and the top 4. A device of the class described com-- prising in combination a triangular base member including corner blocks, casters pivotally connected thereto, and side rods constituting a triangle, a top frame including corner blocks, side rods connected thereto,

and constituting therewith a triangular frame, and lazy tongs extending between each of the side rods of the base frame and the corresponding side rod of the top frame,

a sliding connection between each lazy tongs and the frame rods to which it isconneoted,

horizontal tension springs within each lazy tongs'tending to draw the bars thereof into parallelism and thereby extending the lazy tongs vertically, a. camera platform above the top frame, a hinge connection between the edge ofthe same and one side of the said frame permitting said platform to be tiltedabout a horizontal 8X15, and springs between the camera platform and the top frame aforesaid and normally substantially. balancing the weight of the platform, substantizlly as described.

' 5. A device of the class described comprising in combination a triangular base member including corner blocks, and side rods constituting a triangle, :1 top frame including corner blocks, side rods connected thereto, and constituting therewith a triangular frame, and lazy tongs extending between each of the side rods of the base frame and the corresponding side. rod of the top frame, a sliding connectionbetween iii each lazy tongs and the frame rods to which it is connected, horizontal tension springs.

within each lazy tongs tending to draw the bars thereof into parallelism and thereby extending the lazy tongs vertically, a. oeny ter platform in the base member, supports from the corner blocks thereto, a plate between the lazy tongs and above said platform, connections from the lazy tongs there'- to tending to depress said plate as the lazy tongs are forced down, a vertically extending spring betwccn the platform and the top plate aforesaid for directly supporting the load of the lazy tongs, a camera platform above the top frame, a hinge connection between one edge of the same and one side of the said frame permitting said platform to be tilted about a horizontal axis, springs between the camera platform and the top frame aforesaid and normally substantially balancing the weight of the platform, a pistol-handle cxtendin g outwardly from the side of the camera platform aforesaid to the hinged side aforesaid, and a latch between the platform and frame and convenient of manipulation by the hand grasping the pistol handle, substantially, as described.

6. A device of the class described, com

prising in combination atriangular base member including corner blocks, and side rods constituting a triangle, a top frame including corner blocks, side rods connected a,

thereto, and constituting therewith a triangular frame, and lazy tongs extending between each of the side rods of the base frame and the corresponding side rod of the top frame, a sliding connection between each lazy tongs and'the frame rods to which it is connected, horizontal tension springs within each lazy tongs tending to 'draw the bars thereof into parallelism and thereby extend the lazy tongs vertically, a

center fplatform in the base member, supports. om the corner blocks thereto, a plate between the lazy tongs and above said platform, connect ons from the lazy tongs thereto tending to depress said plate as the lazy tongs are forced down, a vertically extending spring between the platform and the top plate aforesaid for directly supportingthc load of the lazy tongs, a camera platform above the top frame, a pistol handle extending outwardly from the side of the camera platform opposite to the hinged side aforesaid, and a latch between the latform and frame and convenient of manipulation by thehand grasping the pistol'handle, substantially as described.

7. A device of the class described .comprising in combination a triangular base member including. corner blocks, and sideangular frame, and lazy tongs extending between each of the side rods of the base frame and the'corresponding side rod of the top frame, a sliding connection between aforesaid for directly supportin tic load of the lazy tongs, a camera platfbrm above the to frame a. hinge connection between one e go of the same and one side of the said frame permitting said platform to be tilted about a horizontal axis, and springs between the camera platform and the top wei ht of the platform, substantially as described. Y

8-. A device of the class described comprising in combination a base frame having side rods, a top frame having side rods parallel to the side rods of thcbase frame, a lazy tongs extending between each of the base frame side rods and the corresponding top frame side rod, a sliding connection bc tween the lazy tongs and the side rods to which it is connected, horizontal tension springs within each lazy tongs tending to draw the bars thereof into parallelism and therebyextend the lazy tongs vertically, a H

center platform in the base member, a plate above the same, connections from the lazy tongs thereto tending to depress said plate as the lazy tongs are forced down, and a prising in combination a base frame, a top frame above the same, and laz tongs between both of said frames, a sli ing connection between the lazy tongs and each frame, springs within the laz tongs tending to draw the arms thereof into parallelism and thereby extend the lazy tongs vertically, a camera platform above the top'frame, a hinge" connection between eachvedge of the same and the top frame permitting said platform to be tilted about a horizontal axis, and a spring connection between the camera platform and the top frame normally substantially balancing the weight of the calm era platform, substantially as described.

10. A device of the class described comprising in combination a base frame, a top frame above the same, a spring connection between said frames tending to raise the top frame, a camera platform above the top frame, a hinge connection between the camera platform and the top frame permitting the ca' mera platform to be tilted about a each lazy tongs and the frame rods to which horizontal axis, and a spring connection be- Ill III

I prising in combination frame above the same,

spring connection tween the camera platform and the top frame normally substantially balancing the wei h(t1 of the platform, substantially as de- SCll I 11. A device of. the class described comprising in combination frame abovethe same, between said frames tending to raise the top frame, a camera platform above the top frame and movabl connected thereto, a between the top. frame and the camera platform normally substantially balancing he weight of the camera platform, and a suitable hand grip on the camera platform, substantially as described.

12. A device of the class described coma base frame, a top a spring connection between said frames tending to raise the top frame,- a camera platform above the top frame and movabl connected thereto, and a spring connection tween the top frame and the camera platform normally substantially balancing the weight of the camera platform, substantially as described 13. A device of the class described comprising in combination a base member, a vertically movable to frame above the same, lazy tongs exten ing between the base member and the topframe, springs within the lazy tongs tending to draw the bars thereof into parallelism and thereby extend the lazy tongs vertically to raise the top frame, a camera platform above the top frame, a pivotal connection between one side of the camera platform and the top frame, a spring between the top frame and camera platform tending to raise the camera platform with respect to the top frame, and. support the load thereof, a pistol handle extending outwardly from that side of the a base frame, a topspring connection within the lazy tongs .the load of the lazy camera platform opposite to the hinged connection aforesaid, and a camera platform and the top frame convenient of manipulation b the hand'grasping the pistol handle, su stantially as described. 1

14. A device of the class described comrising in combination a base member, a top rame above the same, .a camera platform pivotally connected to the top frame to permit the camera platform to rock about one edge with respect to the top platform, spring means between the base member and thetop frame serving to normally support the load of the top frame, spring means top frame and the camera platform serving to normally support the load of the camera platform, and a latch between the camera platform and the top'frame serving to normally lock these parts in fixed position with respect to each other whereby they ma raised and lowered as a unit, substantially as described.

15. A device of the class described comprising in combination a base member, a top frame, a lazy tongs extending between the base member and the top frame, springs tending to draw the bars thereof into parallelism and thereby extendthe lazy tongs vertically, a center latch between the between the platform in the base member, a plate above the same, connections from the lazy tongs thereto tending to depress said plate as the lazy tongs are forced down, and a vertically extending spring between the'platform and the plate aforesaid for directly supporting tongs, substantially as described.

DONALD G. BEIDLER. ANTONIUS J. VIKEN. 

